M2 cont

You have made serious improvement to the section 2.1 project part of the proposal. It would be best to see the entire form completed so it can be seen as to the complete topic proposal.

I have just one comment that might be clarified in the entire proposal. I understand your goal is to improve processes and procedures. It would be important to be specific as to the goal of your research. What would be a successful election performance? You may have to educate me since I am not that familiar with the election board. 

I look forward to the completed form soon!

Thanks, Dr E

From Dr. E

The main focus of my comments during our phone call of April 28 was to make sure you connect the topic of your research to public administration. Use PA journals as part of your sources. 

Thanks for sharing. Hope you’re able to catch up and stay on target with the research, etc.

· Hi Yolanda,

I enjoyed talking to you this afternoon. After we talked, I reread some of the articles suggested by Dr. Mink in the review of your topic proposal. One article stood out - Nabatchi, T., & Amsler, L. B. (2014). Direct public engagement in local government. The American Review of Public Administration, 44(4_suppl), 63S-88S.

The authors focus on the issue of direct and indirect public engagement. Public engagement allows citizens to have a voice in the activities of local government. I wonder how this idea could be discussed in terms of the election board and the idea of voting as public engagement.

As I have said, I am not knowledgeable on the topic of voting, but this may be a way to create a model that can be researched in your topic.

Thoughts?

Best, Dr E

Era

To:Yolanda Tucker

Apr 20 at 10:43 AM

Hi Yolanda,

I understand your focus.  The review you noted may be too narrow. We should keep in mind that the goal is not to find what an organization is doing wrong but to suggest ways to improve its outcomes. For example, you state: "My intention is to determine whether this county board meets its duties and responsibilities as a public administration responsible for the supervision of elections, voter registration, record keeping, and the administration of election laws in Prince George's County..."

Before deciding on program evaluation or action research, consider the goal of the project. Perhaps you can go back and read the suggested papers that Dr. Mink sent you. In those articles, what may be a gap in the literature that you could examine in reviewing the county board of elections? In other words, what would be the research questions? 

See if we can focus more on a gap in the existing literature and how the project might be able to fill that gap. 

Let me know your thoughts. Be happy to chat with you about it.

From: Yolanda Sent: Friday, April 19, 2019 9:35 PM To: Er Subject: Topic Concerns

Greetings:

After much thought, I think I am more comfortable with doing a program evaluation of the county board of elections as opposed to making it a case study. My intention is to determine whether this county board meets its duties and responsibilities as a public administration responsible for the supervision of elections, voter registration, record keeping, and the administration of election laws in Prince George's County, in accordance with Article 33 of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Board and the Election Administrator seeks to provide voter registration to every county citizen who desires it. Thus, my goal is to determine the extent to which it its members meets the goals of these programs. I believe a program evaluation would capture this more than a case study since I would have to look for a different topic to ‘study’ the case on. 

Please advise your feedback on this, and whether this is possible. 

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Yolanda

·

From:  Mink,

While participating in voting is certainly an important topic, why individuals don't vote is not an appropriate topic for public administration. You could perhaps examine systemic issues or the administration of polling places, etc. but individual reasons for not voting is not sufficient and much is already known about this topic.